Elaine Meyer-Lee,\u00a0Ed.D.,\u00a0joined Goucher\u00a0College\u00a0this year as senior vice president and provost. Coming from\u00a0Agnes Scott College in Decatur,\u00a0GA, she has been a senior academic administrator and\u00a0professor\u00a0for\u00a0almost two decades.\u202fAs students learn virtually this semester, Meyer-Lee\u00a0is\u00a0working\u00a0with faculty\u00a0to make the experience still an engaging one while\u00a0focusing on long-term academic initiatives for Goucher.<\/p>\n
What brought you to academia?\u00a0And to liberal arts?<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n For\u00a0<\/span>30<\/span>\u00a0years<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0I have been passionate about doing all I can to equip the next generation to work effectively across differences, and I believe that academia\u00a0<\/span>is prominently positioned<\/span>\u00a0to have<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0tremendous impact in that regard.\u00a0<\/span>My own transformative experiences studying in Haiti and France led me to become\u00a0<\/span>a developmental psychologist who studies college student development around issues of difference in the context of multicultural and globa<\/span>l education. More specifically, I\u00a0<\/span>believe that\u00a0<\/span>liberal arts colleges,\u00a0<\/span>in which I have spent almost my entire career,\u00a0<\/span>particularly\u00a0<\/span>excel at developing\u00a0<\/span>the humane\u00a0<\/span>capacities that\u00a0<\/span>are crucial to this effectiveness, and even more critical and practical in this age of automation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What about Goucher appealed to you?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Goucher\u2019s commitment to preparing students to solve complex problems together with\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0who are not like themselves, as well as\u00a0<\/span>its\u00a0<\/span>foundational values of innovation, global learning, and social justice<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>resonate<\/span>\u00a0completely with my own personal and professional commitments. But I was also particularly drawn to\u00a0<\/span>join you all at\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>\u00a0pivotal<\/span>\u00a0moment in\u00a0<\/span>the college\u2019s history<\/span>, when the\u00a0<\/span>wonderful\u00a0<\/span>faculty have<\/span>\u00a0done so much<\/span>\u00a0impressive work\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>is ripe\u00a0<\/span>for harvesting as we\u00a0<\/span>build<\/span>\u00a0a vibrant new chapter for the\u00a0<\/span>c<\/span>ollege.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What is your vision for Goucher\u2019s academics?\u00a0What\u2019s working, and what needs more focus?\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n As far as our academics, I\u2019d say:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Absolutely.<\/span>\u00a0My commitment to access, equity, and inclusion\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0fundamental to who I am and drive<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0my work wherever I am. It is a lifelong journey of determining the next step and taking it. We need to take on the root ideology of white supremacy and do the hard work of racial healing and correcting false narratives. This requires attention and accountability at every step of every process, asking<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0\u201c<\/span>W<\/span>ho\u2019s voice is missing?\u201d and addressing any barriers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What\u2019s the biggest challenge in taking on a role like this?\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The role of\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>rovost can be very challenging due to the size and complexity of the academic division, the delicate balances in shared governance, and the responsibility of stewarding resources carefully, including perhaps the most precious one of human energy and creativity. Fortunately, the great faculty, staff, and senior leadership at Goucher are really helping me address these challenges so far<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Psychology is Goucher\u2019s most popular major. As a professor of psychology, why do you think that is?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Because people are fascinating, and therefore studying human thinking, feeling, and acting is\u00a0<\/span>inherently interesting<\/span>, of course!<\/span>\u00a0It also has so many applications relevant to a variety of contexts and future work possibilities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What do you do when you\u2019re not working? Do you get away from the computer much these days?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n I like to explore regional culture, art, live music, theater, and food. I enjoy\u00a0<\/span>traveling and\u00a0<\/span>backpacking on longer vacations. I have three kids in college and grad school and a large extended family, and we like to play games<\/span>\u2014<\/span>including virtually now.\u00a0<\/span>I\u00a0<\/span>am recharged<\/span>\u00a0through Quaker silent worship. Truthfully<\/span>, though,<\/span>\u00a0I am not getting away from the computer much these days, but I am trying to walk to learn the local area and give restaurants takeout business<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How prepared is Goucher for virtual learning? Do we as a college have any advantages going in?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The faculty and staff at Goucher did an amazing job preparing for virtual learning this summer, and are currently delivering\u00a0<\/span>an educational experience\u00a0<\/span>as close to our\u00a0<\/span>usual\u00a0<\/span>engaging\u00a0<\/span>one\u00a0<\/span>as possible. We had a lot of experience from our online graduate programs to draw on and transfer to our undergraduate classes.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Senior Vice President and Provost Elaine Meyer-Lee discusses academics at Goucher: what\u2019s working best, where our focus should be, and why anti-racism should be at the heart of it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":352,"featured_media":3585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12633,7935],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[87484],"class_list":["post-3535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","category-goucher-today"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\nYou\u2019ve been an educator focused on diversity and inclusion for a long time. Will that continue at\u00a0Goucher?<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n